


Best F(r)iend Forever

by nancyjanewrites



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Demon!Shane, Gen, demon shane, demon torture in chapter 9, ryan finds out
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:46:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25448578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nancyjanewrites/pseuds/nancyjanewrites
Summary: It started as a prank. Just a dumb thing to do to Shane since the internet was so convinced he was a demon. Ryan didn't think anything of it at first, he just thought Shane was dedicated to a joke. But as it turns out, it wasn't a joke at all. From there, hijinks ensue.(I just became super obsessed with the whole 'Shane might be a demon' tumblr theory/headcannon/joke, and I wanted to write my own thing about it. ^_^ Platonic Shane and Ryan, no romance here)
Relationships: Ryan Bergara & Shane Madej, platonic - Relationship
Comments: 37
Kudos: 269





	1. Finding Out

Shane had fallen asleep in his office chair. They were the last two working in the building for the night, and Ryan looked at Shane with a bit of mischief. He'd just been skimming through the 'demon shane' tag on tumblr, something he liked to look at and poke fun at from time to time. It was interesting to read, and Ryan had suggested as a joke that he and Shane do a Buzzfeed: Unsolved episode over it. 'The case of the sardonic demon from California', 'The mysterious happenings surrounding Shane Madej', and other joke titles had been thrown around. Shane laughed, but never engaged with such speculation. 

And now, here he was, asleep in his office chair. And just behind him was a fully stocked kitchen. 

Ryan got up and got the container of salt.

It took another thirty minutes before Shane finally jostled himself awake. He grunted and scratched the back of his head, and Ryan eagerly waited for him to realize that all around his chair was a layer of salt. A hefty one too, it'd be a bitch to clean up. But hey, hopefully first it'd make for a good joke.

"What the hell..." Shane mumbled, even before looking down to see the salt. 

"Rise and shine sleepyhead." Ryan taunted.

"Did I really fall asleep?" Shane rubbed his eyes. "Huh, guess I did.... Ryan did you put salt around my chair?" 

He still hadn't looked down to see it, but Ryan was too caught up in his joke to realize that. "Well, Shane you know I'm a man of the people! And the people want to know, is Shane a demon? This week on Buzzfeed: Unsolved-"

"Not this again."

"-I bring you evidence that Shane Madej is in fact, not a demon. Just a regular dude who has no regard for politeness when dealing with the supernatural." Ryan completed. 

"Yep! Here I am, just a dude, who doesn't believe in ghosts." Shane was getting antsy, looking down at the salt now. "You've had your fun, can you clean up all this salt now?"

"Yeah, yeah I will in a sec. Just hop out of the salt circle, so we can finally get the proof that you are, in fact, not a demon." Ryan grinned and waited, watching his friend squirm. He assumed so it was so the salt wouldn't go everywhere and make a bigger mess. "Just one little hop, and I'll get it cleaned up."

"Sure, sure one little hop." Shane grumbled a bit. He extended his leg out a little, but stopped just short of the salt line. Then his face changed. "Oh, Ryan you got me! I'm a demon! Oooh I can't cross the saaallt line!" 

"Sure, sure."

"Oh no, you're right, Ryan I cannot cross it! You've finally captured proof the supernatural, and here I shall remain until you clean it up! Ah, what a specter you've managed to capture." He declared dramatically, resting the back of his hand on his forehead.

Ryan laughed at the theatrics. "I'll see you tomorrow, Shane the demon." He packed up his stuff.

"What about the salt!" 

"I"ll clean it up when I come in tomorrow, okay? It's not like it's going anywhere."

-

... and if the salt doesn't go anywhere, neither does he. Shane had hoped playing into the joke would make Ryan cave, maybe jokingly kick the salt line to let the "100% real demon" free.

Except that Shane was, in fact, 100% real demon, and now was trapped in a very uncomfortable office chair by a ring of salt that Ryan neglected to sweep away. He had to figure something out. It'd be odd if anyone found him in there, the next morning, salt around his feet. Ryan especially would be suspicious, the boy always was. So he squirmed, and tried to blow the salt away, anything. But nothing prevailed. And he was trapped, in an office chair, all night long.

The first one there, of fucking course, was Ryan. He flipped on the light, and went to the nearby broom closet, coming out with a broom and dust pan. He started towards their office space, and then stared. "Shane? What... have you been here all night?"

"I... went home." Shane said. "And slept in these clothes, to trick you into thinking I'd stayed all night! Ha, it worked!" He exclaimed.

"Uh huh..." Ryan frowned. And Shane knew that Ryan knew something was off. He wondered just how much Ryan thought it was off. "Why's the salt still undisturbed?"

"I stepped over it, so so carefully. I didn't want to ruin your little joke."

"Your mug from yesterday is still on the desk."

"It's green to reuse cups, Ryan! I'm trying to save the planet!"

"Right." Ryan still found it suspicious. Shane had figured he'd have to tell Ryan one day about... himself, but today was not supposed to be that day. Today they were supposed to prep for the next episode, something about some old jail. But, no. Here they were. Shane trapped in a god damn salt circle. "So... why don't you get out now?"

"Commitment to the joke." Shane argued. "I am a demon, after all. Must stay committed." He just needed Ryan to move a bit of salt out of the way. The smallest little intrusion, and he could hop out and say a ha! I am not a demon I have fooled you! 

But Ryan didn't move anywhere close enough to do that. "Shane... Why can't you touch the salt?"

"I already told you Ryan!" Shane said, still joking and smiling.

"Why can't you touch the salt?" He asked again, no hint of a smile on his face.

Shane's shoulders fell and he sighed. "I already told you. I'm a demon." He said, in complete seriousness.

Ryan took a step back. "You... you can't be serious."

"I am. I'm a demon. You caught me, the internet was right. I'm not kidding this time, just, please break the salt circle." Shane looked up at him. 

A moment of silence, then Ryan laughed. "Nah, nah this is more commitment to your bit. You're going to hop out of that circle any second now."

But Shane didn't move. And they stood there, staring at each other for twenty minutes. Silence heavy between them. 

"Are you... seriously a demon?"

Shane nodded. "Yeah... I'm, seriously a demon. Need a little proof?"

Hesitant, Ryan nodded. Shane closed his eyes, and when he opened them, they were completely black.

"Jesus!" Ryan jumped and knocked over the broom and dustpan. "Shane! What the fuck!"

"You wanted proof!" He said. "That's not my fault that you said you wanted proof! I just, showed you some proof. Can I come out?" 

"No! I mean, fuck." Ryan was stressed. Shane should have seen that coming. Ryan got stressed out about the supernatural a lot. And now, his best friend was a demon. Shane was worried he would exorcise him, or worse. "Shane, you're a god damn demon what the hell am I going to do about that?"

Shane sighed. "I... I don't know. I don't want to stop, what we're doing. The Unsolved stuff, the being friends thing, all of it. Just cause... You found out something about me. Yes, I'm a demon. But I'm still Shane. Just, please. Let me out."

Ryan took a moment. He breathed in, and kicked the salt out of the way. Shane stood up from his chair, finally able to do so, and grunted. He stretched and his shoulder blades popped. Ryan stared at him as he moved. He seemed, so normal. And it sucked. Because he wasn't who he was, and he wasn't normal, in any sense of the word.

"I need... a day. To breathe." Ryan told him. "I'm going home."

"Okay, Ryan." Shane sighed and nodded. "Okay. I'll... see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, maybe." Ryan turned and walked out of the building, shoulders slumped and his eyes downcast. 


	2. A Case Study into Demonology

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan wants to know more about his best friend, and said best friend wants take-out

Ryan hadn't touched his orange chicken. He stared across the table at Shane, who was going to town on some General Tso's. The demon was shoveling the fast food into his mouth as quickly as he could. It had been three days since Ryan found out. And also he wouldn't talk about it. Shane had attempted to bring it up the day after Ryan's day off, but Ryan had just waved him away. It had almost seemed like they were back to normal, before the beans were spilled. 

Until now, with Ryan's pensive stare worse than any holy water he could have flung Shane's way. It was like the man was dissecting him with nothing but his eyes, trying to figure out what made him tick.

"Can you possess people?" Ryan blurted out, while noodles hung from Shane's mouth. "Like, are you possessing someone, right now? Is there a dude named Shane Madej in there, and you're like, Alastor or something?"

Shane finished his noodles before he spoke. "First of all, I feel like Alastor is the 'John' of all demons. When there's a big bad in a TV show, what does his name end up being? Alastor! There's so many of 'em." He shook his head. "As for possession, nah, there's not just some dude named Shane in here. I'm Shane, me, right here." He pointed at himself. "I'm a higher ranking demon, and thus, I can shape shift. I could possess a human if I really wanted to. The demons who _have_ to possess humans are barely better than ghosts."

"And... Ghosts are real, and so are other demons?" Ryan finally picked up his fork and poked at his orange chicken.

"Yep." Shane took a more modest bite of his food so his mouth wasn't overly full. "You should know. You've met some."

Any chance Ryan had of taking a bite of his food was lost. "What!"

"What, you think all those places we went to were perfectly ghost and demon free? Nah," He took a sip of his drink. "But I made sure they all knew you were my pet so they didn't mess with you."

"Pet?!" Ryan shouted, and Shane winced. Wrong choice of words.

People at the restaurant were staring at them now. Shane shot him a look, trying to silently convey to keep it down. Ryan slumped his shoulders and waited with Shane for people to stop staring. When they lost interest, Shane sighed. "So, pet isn't a great name for it, but-"

"I'm not your pet."

"Well, not by human standards, no." Shane agreed. "It's just, what demons call humans they take under their wing. There isn't a lot of good names for it, especially since demons have different reasons for taking in different humans."

"And why did you take me in?" Ryan finally had a bite of his food, and it made Shane smile.

"Because you wanted to do Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural. You had Bert with you at first, and then he quit. But you wanted to do it so bad and I couldn't stand idly by. I didn't want to see you get hurt." He shrugged.

"The way you said that made it seem like Bert was also a demon." Ryan frowned. "Is he?"

"No, no no no." Shane waved his hand. "Demons are less likely to try shit though if someone else is watching."

"The crew would have been there." Ryan pointed out.

"Yeah, but it helps having me around. Trust me." Shane promised him. He finished his meal and pushed the trash out of his way so he could focus solely on Ryan. "Any other questions?"

"Are there any other demons at Buzzfeed?"

"Yes."

"Who are they?"

"Not my place to say." Shane shook his head. "And we're not going to be telling them you know who I am. I could get in trouble."

"With who?" Ryan ate more of his chicken. "Like, do you have a boss or something?"

"There's just an unspoken rule that you don't tell humans. It's pretty taboo. Don't want them trying to kill you, you know?" He shrugged. "Social graces and all. Guess that's out the window now."

"So, you sleep and eat?"

"Yeah. I got really used to it after being up here for a while." Shane nodded. "I don't have to if I don't want to, though."

"How... how long have you been here?" That hadn't been something Ryan considered. He knew demons were old, but Shane still looked like... Shane, not some ancient monstrosity. 

"Uh... on the surface, about a hundred, hundred thirty years?" Shane shrugged. "Less than two hundred for sure."

"And... how old are you?"

"About five hundred, five-seventy-something." He shrugged. "Right in there." Then he noticed Ryan's contemplative look, and he frowned. "I hope that's not an issue...?"

"Just didn't expect it is all." Ryan stabbed a piece of chicken but left his fork there. "What are all your powers? Possession, shape-shifting, what else?"

"Well, there's the obvious, stereo typical demon deals. I can make those and have them be binding. Through that power, I can do a lot. Like, for instance, tell me you'll give me a piece of chicken for an ice cream sundae to appear here."

"Are you serious?" Ryan didn't look impressed.

Shane nodded eagerly. "Do it!"

"Okay... I'll give you this piece of chicken if you make a sundae appear." Ryan said, skeptical. Skepticism was a weird look on him. Shane didn't like it. But all the same Shane put his hand out and offered to shake his hand, and then Ryan shook it. Ryan gave him the piece of chicken, and boom. Banana sundae appeared on the table. "Oh shit!"

"I told you." He laughed. "Can't really make anything appear otherwise. I can teleport myself though. And other things. So if you told me where exactly there was another ice cream sundae in the world, I could teleport it here. But, yeah." Shane shrugged. He started eating the sundae.

"Hey that's my sundae. I made a deal for it fair and square." Ryan pulled it over to him and started to eat it.

Shane shrugged, but was secretly a little pouty. "So, any other questions Bergara?"

"I don't know, maybe?" He shrugged. "I can't think of any right now..." Then a pause. "Wait, there is one."

"Shoot."

"Are you going to hurt me?" Ryan looked up and met his eyes, holding them with a steely gaze.

Shane swallowed. "Obviously not, Ryan. I swear it." He said. "If I was going to, I'd have done so by now." 

"Okay... I believe you." He finally smiled and sighed. He finished his orange chicken and then dug into his sundae.

"Does this mean things are going to go back to normal?"

"Eh, something like that. I don't think normal's possible after this. But uh, I think we'll get pretty damn close." He nodded.

Shane grinned and leaned back. "So, got any ideas for Supernatural or True Crime? Read anything super creepy lately?"

"Oh! Now that you mention it..."

Shane let him ramble about haunted place number 1032, or whatever it was. He listened aptly, glad to have his best friend back, and his sense of normal returned to him. And he felt better, knowing Ryan wasn't afraid or hurt or anything. Just good old Ryan. 


	3. Ghost Hunting "Alone"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan decides he wants to ghost hunt alone.

Ryan was thinking about the proof of the existence of supernatural creatures. He technically had proof. He was channel surfing in Ryan's living room right now, not dwelling on a channel for longer than a moment or two. It was actually kind of annoying, hearing the channels switch so rapidly with different sounds on each, but Ryan didn't kick a fuss. They were just hanging out today.

Ryan walked into the living room after a while, and Shane flipped the TV off. "Ready to do something? We've been thinking here for like, twenty minutes."

"I, uh, made a decision. But it isn't about what we should do today." Ryan said, and scratched the back of his head. "I don't know how much you'll like this idea."

"Try me." Shane smiled and crossed his arms. 

"I... want to go ghost hunting by myself." Ryan announced confidently.

Shane tensed as the words left Ryan's mouth. "By... yourself?"

"Yes. You said you always scare the ghosts and demons away, and I don't want that. I want to find the proof, that ghosts and demons exist, without using you as an example. So, why don't I go, by myself, and find some... stuff?"

"Ryan, there's like, stuff out there that will try and kill you. And I'm not just gonna sit here and let that happen." Shane told him.

"Well they think I'm your 'pet'." He used air quotes around the word pet. "Maybe based off of that alone they'll just, spook me and nothing else?"

"Look, I-" Shane paused and took a breath. "You know, when you're walking down the street, and you see a cute dog? You think, wow that's a really cute dog, and go about your day, right?"

"Yeah...?" Ryan nodded.

"So demons are assholes. Demons are like, oh what a cute dog! I'm going to steal that dog, for me. Keep it forever and never let it go home." Shane said, all big and exaggerated.

Ryan listened, but Shane could tell that it was all kind of going over his head. He was talking to him in his usual chipper voice still. So he switched tones. "They could also kill you, you know. Some demons don't like me." 

"Kill me, to get to you?"

"Yes." Shane nodded.

Ryan thought it over and shrugged. "It's a risk I'm willing to take."

"What! Ry-" Then Shane got a very, very horrible idea. But he was going to do it. For his friend's curiosity. "Okay, okay Ryan I believe you can handle yourself. But before you go, you should have a nap. Get well rested, supernatural entities respond well to people who aren't tired. And you can believe me, you know. I'm a demon, after all." A demon, notorious for lying.

Ryan was suspicious, but he nodded. "Okay... I'm going to believe you Shane. I'm going to lie down. You should probably go, lock the door on your way out." He turned and went to his bedroom. 

Shane waited until he was asleep, then he got up. This would be either very funny, or very unsettling.

-

Ryan woke up feeling... revitalized. Like he could do anything, and that made him more confident than ever that he was going to find a ghost. He grinned as he got to his feet. He dressed in some breathable clothes, and grabbed his ghost hunting equipment. He grabbed his keys and set out, ready to find a ghost.

There was an abandoned church, off the main roads in a more run down part of town. There had been some sightings there of ghosts, and Ryan figured it was the perfect place to find something.

He entered the building, the door creaking as he pushed it open. "Hello? Anyone here? Any ghosts that wish to communicate?"

Nothing. The air was stagnant and stale, as if no one had been there for a really long time. Ryan walked into the center of the church sanctuary, and looked around at the old, now decrepit decorations that hung. The door slammed and Ryan whipped around. "Hello? Anyone there?"

 _"Probably just the wind."_ A small voice in the back of his head told him. And he nodded. Yeah, probably just... the wind. 

"If there are any spirits in this place that would like to reach out... I'm here to listen. I'm Ryan, by the way." He called out. "Ryan? Can you repeat my name back to me, please?"

"Well well well look who's off his leash and without his handler." A distorted voice echoed from the shadows. The windows blacked out, and Ryan gasped as he fell backwards, something pushing him down. "Ryan, yes, yes I've heard of you. Samuel's little friend, yes?"

"Samuel?" Ryan gasped out.

"Yes, yes the demon that accompanies you on your little trips, hm? The name's Trent, and I've been keeping an eye on you."

 _"Oh shit, it's Trent."_ That little voice in the back of Ryan's head said. _"Damn it, see this is what I was worried about."_ That little voice was sounding more and more like Shane...

"Wait a fucking minute." Ryan completely forgot about the demon. "Shane! Did you fucking possess me?!"

_"Well when you say it like that, you make it seem like a bad thing."_

"Because it is a bad thing! You fucking... possessed me!" He shouted.

_"I did possess you! So you could go ghost hunting by yourself and also be protected and I'm glad I did cause look who it is! It's Trent!"_

"I'm not scared of a demon named Trent!" Ryan frowned. "It's not even an evil sounding name!"

"Oh Ryan, you really should be." The shadowed wrapped around Ryan's torso, and the demon smiled an evil smile with teeth sharpened into spikes. "Now, Samuel, Shane, whatever you're calling yourself these days. Why don't you come out here and have a little chat with me?"

_"Well fuck. Ryan, can I borrow your body, please, to talk to my good buddy Trent?"_

"No!" Ryan squirmed against the invisible binds. "No, Shane you cannot do that! You didn't even have my permission to possess me!" He shot a glare at the demon, who was snickering at hearing their bantering, even though he could only hear Ryan's side.

_"Pretty, pretty please? I'll let you borrow my body some time! A nice trade, how's that sound? You'll be the tall one for once!"_

"Ugh!" Ryan stared at the demon. He felt his fear being buried by something. Shane's presence, perhaps, burying all the fear deep down and trying to reassure him. He didn't seem frightened by Trent, more annoyed. Being so in tune to Shane's emotions was strange, and only scared him more. "Okay, okay fine, fine! You got a deal just be quick!"

He felt like a snapping within him. The binding of a deal, he knew instantly, and then something happened. It was like he was watching a movie from the back of his mind. Like he was paralyzed, but his body was still moving. And then his lips were moving. "Trent! Wow, look at you. Little backwater demon made a big name for himself by terrorizing an old church! By the way, what kind of name is Trent anyway?"

Shane broke the shadows binding him by extending his elbows. With a flip of his wrist, the room went back to how it was before. The shadows gone. And Trent even cowered before Shane. Ryan was internally freaking out. "Now, what is it that you want, huh."

"You uh, you haven't checked in downstairs lately." Trent said. "People are starting to talk, especially with the whole, online, gig thing. And now a human knows? You know there's gonna be some downstairs chatter, and... you know..."

"I know." Shane wasn't impressed. "I know the risks, and, to be frank, don't give a shit. You should know better than to hurt my friend. If he wasn't here, I'd do much more than exchange words. You get me?" 

"Yeah... Yeah. I'm sorry." He was a cowered shadow on the floor now. "Don't kill me, please. I-I forgot how powerful you can be."

"Don't forget it again." Shane turned and left the building. The moment they were gone, Shane's fierce act dropped and he stretched. "Damn. Trent the demon. It's almost worse than Steve the Goatman."

 _"Shane the demon isn't much better."_ Ryan commented.

"Hey!" Shane got in the car. "That's not fair. Anyway, I guess I should give you your body back, huh."

_"Yes please."_

Ryan's eyes closed, and as crazy as it was, he could feel the demon leaving his body. He opened his eyes, and right next to him in the car was Shane. He was smiling and looked just as carefree as ever. Just another day in the life of a demon, Ryan supposed. But Ryan felt... different. A strange different. But was grateful to be back to normal. "You're a jackass, by the way. For possessing me."

"It worked out in the end." Shane reclined in the passenger seat. "I won't do it again. Probably."

"Please don't." Ryan started the car. "Want to get a beer?"

"Oh, yeah." Shane nodded. "I think we earned it today."

"We certainly did." Ryan agreed. 


	4. Something About Fries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan is incredibly confused by Shane's diet choices.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short little drabble about Ryan seeing Shane eat fries. Not as long or weird as the other chapters. A filler chapter mostly.

Ryan stared as Shane ate his food. He couldn't put his finger on why it bewildered him, knowing what he knew now about Shane. He had a burger, fries, nothing out of the ordinary. Except for the very extraordinary fact that Shane wasn't human, but was a demon. But even that knowledge shouldn't make him eating food too weird. Just, a meal, right? Everyone needs carbs.

So why did it make him uncomfortable...

"Do you order no salt fries at restaurants?" Ryan finally asked. "Since, you know."

"What? No, I don't order no salt fries at restaurants. What are fries without salt?" Shane asked as he popped another fry into his mouth. "I mean I get dietary restrictions, so if someone can't eat salt fries that's one thing. But who would willingly put themself through that?"

"I don't know, I just figured that the salt probably doesn't feel too good." Ryan shrugged.

"It doesn't, but it's like, a good burn. Like when you eat really spicy foods, but it's the burn that makes it good." 

Ryan didn't really know what to think of that. But then again, he wasn't the demon, so who was he to complain about it? He wasn't the demon, after all.


	5. Past Pictures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With how long Shane claims to have been on the surface, there's proof him in other places.

It was a fluke. He found it scrolling through a history page about a ghost haunting in the south. Through all the tragedy and supposed ghosts being seen, on the side of the website was a picture of some soldiers from the Civil War. Dressed in the uniform of the North, tagged with the caption _Samuel Hall in Northern Uniform, photographed before heading into battle,_ was a picture of Shane. And Ryan was certain it was him. He got up with his laptop and went to the break room, where Shane was chowing down on a turkey sandwich. 

"Oh hey." Shane smiled. "Whatcha got-"

"Is this you?" Ryan hissed, showing him the website.

Shane read briefly over the article, then he saw the photo on the right. "Oh I forgot about that photo. Yeah, that's me. Samuel Hall was the first name I went by when I got up to the surface." He shrugged and kept eating his sandwich. "What of it?"

"You were at the freaking Civil War!" He whisper-shouted.

"And?" Shane asked.

"And?? Well, first off, you said you'd only been on earth for one hundred and thirty years! That was longer than that!"

"Oh... I guess you're right." Shane nodded. "Oh well. I lose track of time easily. Kind of a side effect of being alive for so long. All the years start to blend together."

"Well?" Ryan watched him. When Shane looked confused, he huffed. "Well! What was it like!"

"Well, hot, and also bloody. It was a war, not a vacation. I don't really have any fond memories of it." He munched a chip. "I've been there, that plantation. It's nothing special and also not haunted. I think we can do better for the show."

"How do you know it's not haunted?" Ryan frowned as he closed the tab.

"I walked by it on my way back to New York, after the war. No lingering spirits. Nothing. Just an old house with terrible, terrible memories locked in its walls." Shane looked pensive for a moment, and Ryan could see the age in his eyes. All that he witnessed, it must weigh on him. 

"I'll keep looking... should I avoid the South, then? Does it bring back bad memories or anything...?"

Shane shrugged and was immediately back to his normal self. "Nah. I don't mind going back down there. I was just remembering something is all." He said.

Ryan nodded and got up with his laptop. He walked back to his desk, thinking about the last one hundred years. 

-

Shane jolted awake as his phone went off. He grumbled and looked at the time. 2:20AM. He frowned and answered. "Hello?" He asked, voice groggy. 

"You served in both world wars!" 

Shane pulled his phone back from his ear and winced at the loudness of Ryan's voice. "Yes, Ryan I served in both world wars. Anything else?"

"You know how to fly a plane!" Ryan was still shouting. "I have a picture, right here, Sam Lyer, dumb name by the way, in front of his plane! You look kinda good, I'll admit. I just can't believe you know how to fly a plane! Do you still have that plane?"

"It belonged to the United States Army." He paused but sighed. "But yeah, I do still have it. I stole it after the war."

"That's awesome! You have to show me sometime! Oh, can you take me up in it? That'd be pretty cool." He said. "Does it still run? Wait! I have a picture of you from the sixties! You were a hippie!"

Shane chuckled. "Oh yeah the sixties. I was a hippie. Are you just about done? I want to go back to sleep."

"Sure, sure." Ryan sounded focused still. "I'm going to find more pictures Shane. I promise you that."

"Oh, as for the plane? I haven't gotten my pilot's license in a hot minute so if you want to go up in it, we can. I just wanted to give you a warning."

"Eh, I trust ya. Night, Shane."

"Goodnight, Ryan."

Shane hung up and sighed as he stared up at his ceiling. What a blast down memory lane.


	6. Shots Fired

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane and Ryan are walking alone at night, when a mugger happens upon them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will contain a gun shot, blood and mentions of the gun shot wound. Nothing extremely descriptive, just mentioned.

Ryan and Shane were laughing as they walked down the street. "That movie suuucked!" Shane exclaimed loudly.

Ryan nodded. "It wasn't even scary! I'm scared of most things, but that didn't even make the hair on the back of my neck stand up."

"Ehh I saw you jump once." Shane pointed out.

"Jump scares don't count! They purposely make you jump with shock value!" Ryan argued. "Real horror should like, build, and have dread and a sense of like, I don't know. Jump scares don't count."

"If you insist." Shane teased. "You know, I've noticed ever since you found out I'm a demon you haven't been as scared of the usual things. Not as scared of ghouls or ghosts or all that."

"I think there's some peace in knowing it all exists. Like if I see it, I don't need to be scared. Because I already know it's real." 

"Well you should still be a little scared. You never know what they could do to you. Some demons are pretty powerful."

"Like you?" Ryan looked up at him.

"Yeah, like me." Shane nodded. "I hope you never have to see me at full power, Ryan."

Ryan nodded. He got this feeling if he did see Shane at full power, he wouldn't ever be able to see him the same way. It was just, an eerie thought. On the surface, he knew Shane was a demon. Fuck he'd even been possessed by the guy. So he _really_ knew that it was the truth. Still, it didn't seem... really. Not as real as it could be. And Ryan didn't need a reminder of it.

Ryan wasn't really paying attention as they walked around. They were now in a darker part of the city, and Shane looked around. "This probably isn't good. We should turn back."

"I hadn't realized we walked so far." Ryan commented.

"The joys of walking. Let's turn back." 

"Stop right there!" Both men froze at the sound of the voice. "Turn around!"

Shane and Ryan turned around to see a guy dressed in all black. He had a gun in his hand, and it was pointed right at them. He was taller than Ryan, but not as tall as Shane. He didn't have the strongest build. Not overly threatening. But then, there was that gun. "Give me all your shit!"

Ryan's hands were shaking as he went to get his wallet.

"I don't think that's going to happen." Shane said. "You should turn around and go back were you came from, sir."

"Shane what the fuck are you doing." Ryan hissed. 

"Oh, you think you're tough shit, huh?" The guy jabbed his gun in Shane's direction. "I'd make like your friend and start giving me your stuff."

"I'm not doing that. And you're not going to shoot me. You're too cowardly. Look at you, holding that gun like you're some tough stuff. You'd never pull the trigger. You're too chicken shit." Shane's tone was scary, flat and unflinching. Ryan's stomach was twisting in knots. "Do it, huh! Shoot me! Shoot! You won't, you're too scared! Too-"

The shot was loud, and echoed off the buildings. Ryan's heart jumped to his throat as his ears rang. He could see blood coming off of his friend, and it splattered out. Shane took two steps back, and he looked down at his shirt. "Huh. You proved me wrong. Guess you did shoot." His eyes filled with that inky black color that Ryan loathed to see. "Bad move, on your part."

The man dropped his gun and stumbled back. "What the fuck! What the fuck is wrong with your eyes!"

"I wouldn't be concerned about that right now." Shane dashed forward with super human speed. He grabbed the guy by his neck and hoisted him into the air. The guy squirmed and gasped out, looking at Ryan for help. Help he wouldn't get, Ryan being frozen in place. "Do you want to live?"

"Ye-yes! Yes I want to live!"

"Fine, I'll let you live. On one condition."

"Anything, anything! I'll do anything!"

"You give up mugging for the rest of your days, understand? If you rob one more place or person, or orchestrate it at all, you'll drop dead where you stand, get it?"

"I do! I do I get it just let me go!"

"Shake on it." Shane held out his free hand, and the guy flailed his arm around until he found the offered hand. He grasped the hand and shook it firmly. Something sinister played at Shane's lips as he dropped the guy on the cement. "Wonderful. Thanks for doing business with me. Be seeing you around." He turned around and faced Ryan, his black eyes retracting, leaving those warm brown eyes that Ryan knew. He also smiled normally. "Ready to go home?"

"Ye-yeah." Ryan was shaky. 

Shane snapped, and they were in their car. Ryan jolted at suddenly being in the passenger seat. He was in shock over the whole ordeal. "Buckle up." Shane seemed chipper as ever. He buckled as well, and started to drive.

Twenty minutes passed in silence, before Ryan spoke. "You're still bleeding..."

"Yeah, that won't go away for a hot minute. But don't worry, it'll be all healed up by tomorrow morning." He said. "How are you doing mentally?"

"Will that guy actually die if he mugs someone?" Ryan asked.

"Yep. That's how those deals go down." Shane nodded. 

"Would you... would you have killed him if I hadn't been there?"

And the silence resumed. The answer was in the air, an unspoken _yes_ but it remained unsaid. Shane dropped Ryan off at his place, and then continued on to his own. Ryan was still shaken up as he went inside and collapsed on his couch. He ended up sleeping there, in his clothes.

He woke up the next morning, the events of the night before still playing in his mind. He went to Buzzfeed HQ, and got to his desk. Shane sat across from him, working on a Ruining History episode. He was normal, fine, the gunshot having done nothing to him.

Ryan's stomach dropped as he skimmed through Twitter. A man had attempted to mug an elderly woman early that morning while she was on her walk. But he had dropped dead of a heart attack in the middle of the attempted burglary. The guy was a gym teacher of some middle school. He was the same height as the guy who had tried to mug them last night.

Ryan glanced over at Shane, who was trying to drink coffee. He spilled some on his shirt, cussed under his breath and immediately tried to dab it up so it wouldn't stain. 

Ryan worked silently for the rest of the day. 


	7. Body Swap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane has to uphold his end of a bargain. And Ryan gets to know more about Shane than he wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone asked if we'd see more demons. Well, here we are! Any excuse for world building I can get, I'll take!

"We made a promise! You said if you could borrow my body for a bit I could borrow yours. So cough it up." Ryan told his demonic friend. "Will I get access to the demon powers, too? Cause that could be a little cool."

"Ugh, yes, okay Ryan." Shane sat up. "We can do this. You'll have access to my demon powers, yes. But be careful with them, please. You'll have twenty four hours, and nothing you'll do can extend that time. That's the deal, understood?"

"Yes, yes." Ryan nodded. "So, what do I gotta do?"

Shane offered his hand for Ryan to shake, which the man took. He shook his hand, and his eyes closed. They stayed closed for a long, long time, and when they opened, he was staring at himself. He jumped back, and looked at his hands. White. Shane's hands. It worked, he was Shane. He really was Shane. He looked at his hands and then to Shane, who had picked up his own phone off the table and started scrolling. He didn't look super impressed.

"Have you-" Having Shane's voice come out of his mouth was different. "Have you done this before?"

"Nope, but I've possessed different people before, you included. So I'm not that freaked out." He spoke casually. Ryan couldn't remember the last time he heard his own voice so chilled out. "Having fun over there, Mr. Bergara?"

"Yeah! I think I am." He stood up. "My name is Shane Madej and I believe in ghosts! I think bears are the scariest animal around!"

"Ha ha, well two of us can play this game." He goes to twitter and starts to take a video. "Hey guys! Ryan here. I stole Shane's phone. I just wanted to say that I think ghosts aren't real." And he posted it.

Ryan's mouth dropped open. "Oh you jackass." He reached for his own phone, but Shane took it first. "Shane!"

Shane laughed. "Whatcha gonna do now?"

Ryan paused and thought for a moment. He focused on having his phone in his hand, and in a blink of an eye, it was. "Teleportation baby!" He shouted and went to his own twitter. He started a video. "Hey all you Boogaras. Just wanted to let you know I've defected to your side. I believe in ghosts now!" And he uploaded the video. 

Shane laughed and shrugged. "I mean, that's technically true? Not to the public eye, granted."

Ryan looked around. Things were different, especially from this height. He looked at Shane. "Can I go and take a walk?"

"Sure, I can't stop you." Shane shrugged.

So Ryan left Shane's place, and walked down the street. Shane experienced the world differently, as a taller person and as a demon. He could smell a lot more, see more clearly, and hear things he couldn't hear before. He liked this, but also missed his own body. Maybe he'd switch back sooner. 

As he passed by an alley, something grabbed him and yanked him down it. He couldn't see what had grabbed him, not right away. He blinked, and the world became different. The world had a different color scheme, and all the humans walking around were nothing but gray blurbs. There was a woman in front of him now, arms crossed. She was shorter than Shane, maybe even shorter than he was in his own body. "What the fuck did I hear about you telling a human, Samuel?" She demanded.

"Uh... it's actually Shane now." Ryan tried to do his best to act like Shane. 

"Whatever! Who did you tell? Was it that little pet you follow around on that youtube show? What's his name, Ryker, Rydan..." 

"Ryan, and no it wasn't him." Ryan lied. "And uh... what's your name, again? It's been so long..."

The woman's eyes widened, in fury, and Ryan realized he'd made a huge mistake. She moved a hand, Ryan felt something wrap around his ankles and pull him down. He landed on the ground with an _oof_ and looked up at the very pissed off demon woman. 

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." She sneered. "Damn it Shane! I knew you staying topside this long was a bad thing. You're coming back. I mean it, no detours." The things that had wrapped around his ankles grew up around him, cocooning him. Ryan squirmed, and realized they were like, demonic vines. "You can't do your job as a demon, maybe you need to be retrained. As for that little human pet of yours? We'll take good care of him." 

The world went black around Ryan, and panic flooded him. This wasn't good. Not even a little bit. And the worst part was that Shane didn't even know what had happened. 


	8. Real Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane discovers what happens to Ryan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if original characters aren't your thing lol. I just like them. Helps me flush out the world a bit, ya know?

The biggest difference between being a demon and being a human was that he only saw as a human did. He didn't have his demon senses, or his demon sight, or any of that. Salt didn't burn, either. Ryan was probably going to get some heart disease, but Shane was enjoying all the salty foods he didn't get to have before. He didn't notice time slipping on by.

He ate his French fries, salted nuts, all of that.

He walked around and breathed in the air, trying to take in some fresh air that wasn't clouded by human stank and other nasty things. Just, fresh air. How the humans smelled it.

He didn't exactly like driving around everywhere. He liked being able to go where he wanted to go in a snap, think of a place and bam. He was there.

It was dark before Shane realized Ryan had never come home.

And twenty minutes after that, he heard something creaking his house, and a chill run down his spine. Demons.

Shane turned around just as he felt someone slam him back against the wall. _"Ryan..."_ A voice hissed. 

"Fuck." Shane coughed. "What the he-"

His head slammed again, and he for sure got a concussion. _"Are you ready, to experience your worse nightmare?"_

"Wait..." Shane paused. "Wait I know that voice. Julius?"

The demon paused, and manifested. He was a normal-ish looking man, with snake eyes. "How do you know my name?" He glares.

"It's Samuel, Shane." He hummed. "Man, it's been a hot second, how you been bro? Where's uh... Wanda? You two still going steady?"

The demon stared at Shane. Silence, and then, "Shane...? Are you... really in this human shell?"

"Uh, yeah. I am." He nodded. "Go ahead, do your little nightmare magic on me. I can make it easy, tell ya Ryan's nightmares for you. It's a looot of ghosts and demons. You should try Sallie, you remember her, he really fucking hates her."

"He hates Sallie? How can you hate Sallie?" Julius demanded.

"I know right?! Anyway, whatcha doing here, man?" Should be noted, Shane was still pinned to the wall. Not that he minded much right now.

"Well..." Julius scratched the back of his head. "This is awkward. Wanda... she dragged, uh, 'you', down to hell, for re-education."

Shane's blood ran cold, and all jokes were off. "What."

"Yeah, she sent me to uh, deal with the loose ends."

Rage flashed in Shane's eyes, and Julius was extremely grateful that he didn't have his demon powers. "How dare her! Drag _me_ down to hell? Who the fuck does she think she is!"

"There's... been some regime changes... And she's cracking down on-"

"I don't give a _fuck_ no one drags Shane Madej down to hell! And-" Then he remembered. "Oh god. Oh Ryan. He's in my body. Julius, buddy, you gotta help me man. That guy, he won't last one session."

"I can't... go against her wishes..." The demon flicked his snake like tongue and he scratched the back of his head.

"Damn it Julius you either help me, or in a few hours when I get my body back, I'll tear you limb from limb, capiche?" He glared daggers into the demon.

"I... Okay." He sighed. "I understand."

-

Meanwhile, Ryan Bergara was having the absolute worst time of his life.


	9. Let's Save Ryan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane arrives to free Ryan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains descriptions of violence and slight torture. Blood is mentioned as is stabbing and some other light torture stuff.

The demon's name was Wanda.

And Ryan wasn't going to forget it ever again. 

Thorns dug deep into Shane's body, carving the words on every piece of available skin. The vines crept up and under his clothes, tearing open the skin and repeatedly spelling W A N D A into his body. Ryan felt a burning ball of power just under the surface. He could have overpowered her, he knew he could. But he didn't know how. He didn't know how a lot of Shane's powers worked, and the ones he did know weren't working.

"What's your purpose, Shane." Wanda demanded. "Tell me your purpose."

"I-I don't know please I'm not even Shane." Ryan exhaled his words, the pain so intense. He was hot. The floor looked to be made of hot coals, not that Wanda minded as she walked on them.

"Bullshit! I'd know that stench anywhere. Not tell me, what is your purpose!"

The thorns dug deeper, before they finally pierced the skin. He felt the pain deep into his bones. The thorns turned to barbs, hooking on deep inside of him. The plant-demoness' eyes glowed a deep, burning green, and Ryan's entire body felt like it was melting from the inside out. 

Tears were in his eyes, the pain becoming so overwhelming he could no longer scream. He felt his vision change, and something hard slapped his face, undoing it.

"Don't give me those demon eyes, Shane." Wanda spoke. "Your purpose is to torment humans. You make deals, you make their lives miserable. That's what we thought you were doing with that human pet, driving him into the arms of spectors. But no! You befriended him!" 

Ryan felt the hooked barbs tug deep inside of him. He finally let out a shout of pain.

"You're going to learn, Shane. You're going to-"

"Hey Wanda!"

The demon whipped around. She tilted her head. "Julius you were not supposed to bring the human here."

"Funny thing about that-" The nightmare demon started.

"It's me, Shane. And uh, it's time to switch back." He snapped.

Ryan felt instant relief. No pain, just heat from the floor. He looked up and gasped as he watched his friend. 

Shane's eyes turned black, and Ryan winced as he ripped the vines and thorns out of his arms. Blood splattered across the room, and Ryan felt it hit his face. The other two demons backed up to the opposite wall. 

Shane snarled, sharpened fangs in place of teeth. His body was unnaturally lanky, and turned slowly to pure darkness. His body moved as if it was suspended in air. His skin was swirling, or appeared so. Ryan couldn't trust his own eyes. Shane looked completely ethereal. "Do you know what you've done?"

"Shane…" Wanda stared. "I… I…"

Shane charged the demons, and tendrils of pure darkness pinned Julius and Wanda to the wall. Ryan flinched as one sliced through Wanda's forearm, and then watched in horror as darkness spread through the puncture. Wanda screamed.

"Shane! Stop!" Julius shouted.

"If you want her to live, you'll leave Ryan and I alone. Do you understand, Julius?" He snarled.

"Yes! Yes!"

"And if you even  _ think  _ of coming for us again, she will die. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes, we do!" Julius clutched Wanda close.

Shane snapped his head to Wanda, who barely nodded her head, face pale and plant-like complexion having become wilted. He turned to Ryan, and placed two fingers on his head.

The world went black.


End file.
